Many different public records document land and real estate. Title searchers
and abstractors use them every day, but genealogical and other local
history researchers can also find vital information in these large and
fast-growing records series.

Yates County has deeds and mortgages from 1823 to the present, transcribed
deeds and mortgages from 1788-1826, tax rolls for all towns 1890-present
and for some towns 1866-present, recorded maps 1823-present, and a few
historic maps from the earlier period. It is possible to use these records
to get a very clear idea of individual and community land use for the past
200 years.

Finding and Using Deeds and Mortgages

A key date to remember is that Yates County was organized in 1823,
when five towns were split off from Ontario County; three years later,
two more towns were added from Steuben County. The series of deed and
mortgage books reflect these changes. All real estate transfers after
1823 are recorded in a series of deed books indexed by grantor (seller)
and grantee (buyer). Mortgages after the same date are also recorded
in a single series, indexed by mortgagor (borrower) and mortgagee (lender).
There is also a smaller series of transcribed deeds originally recorded
either in Ontario or Steuben County before the respective towns became
part of Yates. These are also indexed by grantor and grantee, in a single
General Index; early mortgages were also transcribed and indexed in
separate volumes.

An index of the transcribed or transmitted
deeds and mortgages has been prepared for posting on line. Copies of
the relevant documents can be mailed to researchers.

Taxation Records

In New York State, taxes on real property are collected by each of the several
complicated levels of local government. County and town taxes are levied
together, so assessment and tax rolls for
these municipalities are filed together at the county seat. Yates County
holds a very large series of town tax rolls beginning in 1890, with
some missing prior to 1915. In addition, the Yates County Records Management
Project has microfilmed assessment rolls by town and filled in some
of the missing volumes, with some towns complete from the 1860s. Current
assessment records and tax maps are also available for public use.

Maps

Maps are extremely valuable sources of information about land use and
ownership. All maps recorded with the County Clerk are indexed by town
and by the name of the person for whom the survey was done. Nowadays these
are mostly survey maps associated with land transfers, but many other maps
have been recorded as well. The County Historian has a set of railroad
right-of-way maps, early surveys and other 19th-century maps. Current tax
maps are available for public use. The County has several published maps
as well, which show the names of 19th-century property owners. These are
dated 1854, 1857, 1865 and 1876.